[SJ] SJs, explain this authority thing

[skylights]

I had been "defying his authority" in the past couple weeks. I haven't been. I've been merely making suggestions. The part that bugs me is that I was somehow "wrong" for speaking up in public, and I got reamed out today because it ticked him off.

FJ and SJ types, and a handful of Enneagrams - 1, 3, 6, 8, can be particularly concerned with public correcting. If they are of a higher position than you, they can feel like you are purposefully trying to make them look bad in front of others, or trying to uproot them, or simply blatantly and disrespectfully disregarding them. In almost all of the cases, it's just easier if you speak to them privately about your concerns.

Given, as a fairly CP 6, sometimes I choose to take my own advice here, and sometimes I choose to speak publicly, in particular if I feel like their authority has never been earned and is not deserved.

 

[Habba]

I don't know the first thing about marching bands, but I'd guess they are very leader-centric. If you want to be creative, being a member of marching band isn't really right place for that. I think the whole point of such band is that everyone does exactly as they are told, and move as one, like a piece of machinery.

So when you are publicly making suggestions to the leader, you are making yourself stand out the crowd to disturb the function of the whole. Also, the time you spent arguing with your band leader is a time away from practice, from all of you. So do you think it's fair for one person to waste time of the other 30? For everything there is a time and place, and suggestions are often best done in face-to-face, one-on-one basis in such structures.

It's completely different thing in a dynamic environment where each team member brings in an unique skillset. There suggestions fare better in public environment, as each person can pitch in their perspective.

Oh, and position of authority should only be used as an excuse during time of crisis, when it's imperative to act as quickly as possible when there's no time for arguments. So usually "because I'm the boss" is a sign of bad people management skills. Good leader knows how to make the people want to work together.